The Thursday paths group of volunteers have had a busy summer working on three areas around Kingussie.

Ardbriolach Road path

In mid-May we started on the new path alongside Ardbriolach Road. This connects the Gynack Mill Trail with the path system in the Tom Baraidh woods. The land was purchased, and path material bought with a Community Fund Lottery grant. Over sixteen sessions the volunteers improved the path up from the hydro bridge, felled trees, built the new path beside the road and improved the paths that reach into Tom Baraidh. Bob built some drystone walls on either side of the twin pillars that mark the start of the Pitmain Estate (and the new end of the community woodland owned and managed by KCDC.) Two intrepid volunteers started clearing the invasive white butterbur plants on the steep slopes of the river Gynack opposite the hydro powerhouse. We are just waiting for dry weather to finish off a new seating area halfway along the path with views back down the river. A carving is planned for the stump of an old willow tree next to the bench. In the Autumn we will be planting some trees to replace those that we felled to build the path or like the willow were in danger of falling down in the next storm.

For three weeks in September, we moved back to the Curlew path to Newtonmore. We had already carried out some repairs to the ditches on a section above Loch Gynack in the spring. Our subsequent work repairing the surface of the path and clearing back vegetation was caught on film when Paths for All came out to make the short film celebrating our award as Scotland’s’ Community Paths Group of the Year 2022 .

Ardvonie Park

Currently we are improving the path in Ardvonie Park that leads from behind the toilets up to Taits Brae. With the permission of Highland Council (who own the park) and the Cairngorm National Park Authority we are slightly widening this path by “benching” it into the hillside and levelling off a step section at the top. We are also putting a better surface on the path as well as renewing the surface on the steps that also lead up to Taits Brae. Hopefully this work and the wildflower meadow at the base of the slope will not affect the sledging come the winter!

Kingussie paths leaflet

The new Kingussie Paths Leaflet that KCDC has been working on with the Cairngorm National Park Authority is now back from the printers and you should be seeing copies of it around Badenoch over the next few weeks. One improvement is the whole path between Kingussie & Newtonmore is now shown. If you would like copies for your shop, hotel, Airbnb or other location please get in touch with us.

If you’d like to get involved and subscribe to the Path Volunteers Mailing List please click the button below:

These updates will tell you where the work party will be meeting, what’s planned and any changes to dates due to weather forecasts.

Or alternatively, contact Sandy directly at sandy.maxwell@kcdc.co.uk or telephone 07766 380 663.